In our recent video on Financial Aid: How to Fund Your Linfield Education, Sandra Tello, our Financial Aid Counselor, offers advice on financing your Adult Degree Program degree or certificate. If you are a prospective student wondering what funding options might be open to you, or if you’re a current student needing some guidance, Tello and the Financial Aid Office are here to help. As Tello says, “There’s financial aid for everyone. In fact, about 60% of ADP students receive some form of financial aid.”

As an adult student, what are some of your financial aid options? First, Tello wants you to know that “You don’t have to be right out of high school to apply for scholarships.” As an older student, you are a great applicant for a range of aid. Many scholarships are open to a wide range of educational pathways and ages and some are even specifically designed for non-traditional students. For example, at Linfield College we specifically offer several scholarships for older students. Depending on your financial situation, you might qualify for need-based aid, such as Linfield’s Adult Degree Program Alumni Scholarship Fund and the Arthur Lind Memorial Scholarship. Alternatively, it is also common for Linfield students to win merit-based aid from outside scholarship programs. Merit aid is awarded for factors such as community service or grades (not necessarily dependent on income).

It’s important to understand the three main types of aid. Financial aid can come in the form of scholarships and grants, which do not need to be repaid. Or, aid can come in the form of federal or private loans, which are expected to be repaid. Most students utilize a combination of these types of aid. At Linfield, our financial aid office is here to help you locate, apply for, and manage the entire financial aid range. What will a specific loan payment structure look for you once you graduate? Where can you find more potential scholarships? In addition to providing a frequently asked financial aid questions page, we are here to connect with you by phone or email and answer all of your financial aid-related questions.

Speaking of how to locate a large number of scholarships and grants, we encourage you to cast a wide net in your search for financial aid. For instance, local and national community and civic scholarships, veteran’s benefits, and employer education benefits are great places to find aid for which you might be uniquely qualified. If you want to learn specific suggestions on how to find outside scholarships, make sure to sign up for our next Path to Scholarships® scholarship workshop and webinar, occurring on February 22, 2014.

As you plan to meet your financial aid needs, you’ll want to run the numbers and determine how much completing your degree will cost. You’ll be happy to know that Linfield’s Adult Degree Program tuition is competitive, particularly for an online degree program – but don’t take our word for it. You can compare Linfield’s tuition with costs at other colleges and see for yourself.

What else does Tello want you to know? Linfield will help with financing your education, regardless of how many credits you already have. “We get all kinds of students here at Linfield College. If you have 90 credits, that’s great … We [also] have students that don’t transfer in any college credits and don’t have any college experience. So call me, we’ll go over your individual experience, and we’ll find a way to help you.”

Still uncertain about how you’ll pay for your education? That’s normal and it shows you take your education and your finances seriously. However, you don’t need to feel intimidated. Now that you know about Linfield’s competitive tuition, financial aid resources, and personalized support along the way, you can be an empowered learner. Get started on your steps to complete financial aid today!